Honeybun Layout and Figgy Pudding Quilt

Here's another layout of the honey bun quilt I mentioned last post.  I've moved a few things around, but I'm not sure I'm completely happy with it, so it will stay on the design wall for a little while longer.

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I'm also working on quilting the Figgy Pudding quilt I mentioned in the last post that I realized I haven't show pictures of.  I should have taken a picture when I had it all flat when I was basting it, but I spaced on that.  I'm doing an all over pebble quilting on it.  I'm using a silver metalic thread.  I was a little apprehensive to use it given my experience with that kind of thread in the past, but I've been liking the quality of Superior Threads over the past few years, so I thought I'd give theirs a try. 

 

 I'm actually impressed with how the thread is quilting.  I've gone through one bobbin so far and haven't had any breakage (knock on wood).  I switched to a 90/14 Needle like recommended on the thread packaging.  In my Bernina manual, it recommended going down to a 2 tension on the top thread while the packaging on the thread said to go down to a 1.  I did some test quilting, and I found the number 2 tension to be better.

 

 

And a closer look at the quilting.  

Set 5 of the Blooming 9 Patch

Here's set 5 of the blooming nine patch blocks.  Just one more to go...

And here are all 5 of the sets of 9 patches.  

I have to cut the strips for the next 9 patch still.  I probably won't get to that until next week.  I have to add a sleeve to a quilt I made a while ago for a show that a friend asked me to submit a quilt to.  

I'm also taking a class on Saturday with Carol Doak at the Lowell Quilt Festival, so I need to do a bit of prep for that.  I'm so excited for the class. I haven't taken a class in over a year, maybe two, so it will be nice to learn some new tips.  Even though I've already taken a paper piecing class before, I always seem to learn something in classes I take because someone always seems to have tips and tricks to share.  It's one of my favorite aspects of taking classes.  

I hope to report back with pictures from the festival itself as well after.  I have a bunch of stuff that I'm looking to get from the vendors... thread for the machine quilting of several quilts, backings for 3 quilts, fabric from the Santorini and Kiwi lines, maybe a few charm packs, batiks, and neutral fabrics to add to my stash.  This is one time that I will probably add a bunch of fabrics to my stash at one time.  Yay!!!

Set 4 of the Blooming 9 Patches

I finished grouping 4 of the blooming nine patches.  I'm really liking how this is all coming together.  It's nice when you're working on a project and you continue to love the fabrics and color choices.  Sometimes the fabrics and colors look great when folded neatly next to each other, but once you start piecing them, they just don't have that same pizzaz.  

Here are the four sets next to each other.  I started to put them up on the design wall, but it was getting so full.  I need to finish a few other projects and get them off the wall so that I can begin to lay this one out.  

Sets 5 and 6 left to go and then I can start cutting the solid squares and laying the entire thing out.  I can't wait!  In my mind I'm 5 steps ahead of myself.  I'm already thinking, "hmm, what would this look like if I extended the last fabric as a border?" "How should I quilt this?"  (If you've seen any close ups of the quilting on blooming nine patch quilts, feel free to pass those along for ideas since I'm already mentally on step 1000 in my mind.)

More later... Happy Quilting!

Set 3 of the 9-Patches

I finished set three of the nine patches last night for the blooming nine patch quilt. Here are a few pics of them...
And here are all three sets. If you use your imagination, you might be able to picture the transition in your head.
I also got a little machine quilting done on the scrappy flower quilt that's in my profile picture. I was having some difficulties with my machine a few days ago when I first went to do some of the sewing for it, so I put it aside and worked on something else. I came back to it today, and the machine worked just fine. I think it was just telling me to do some piecing and not some quilting. At least I've been making progress on something, just not my stack of unquilted tops. ;)